§ Bill, as amended, considered.
§ MR. HIBBERTsaid, the purpose of the Bill was to provide that lunatics should be visited at least twice in every year, and that every lunatic resident in a private asylum should be visited four times each year in the next two years. The effect of that regulation would be that, for the first two years, each lunatic would be visited four times in each year, and in subsequent years twice.
§ MR. WARTONsaid, he was not satisfied with the present position of the matter. The Bill was brought forward with the understanding that, if the number of visits was reduced from four, those lunatics who now received one visit, should receive two. He wished to make it certain that there should be two visits; and, for that purpose, he should move, at the end of Clause 4, to add—
And the said section shall he construed as if the word 'twice' had been inserted therein instead of the word 'once.'
§
Amendment proposed,
In page 2, line 6, to add at the end the words "and the said section shall he construed as if the word 'twice' had been inserted therein instead of the word 'once.' "—(Mr. Warton.)
§ Question proposed, "That those words be there inserted."
§ MR. J. G. TALBOThoped the hon. Gentleman opposite (Mr. Hibbert) had no objection to this Amendment.
§ MR. HIBBERTsaid, he thought the Amendment was unnecessary.
§ MR. J. G. TALBOTsaid, he could not understand the hon. Gentleman's objection, if he agreed to the object being carried out; especially as every Statute must be interpreted by its words, and not by the meaning which its promoters conceived it to have.
§ MR. HIBBERTsaid, that this was a matter entirely for the Lord Chancellor, upon whom the Statute would be binding by regulations to be signed hereafter.
§ MR. J. G. TALBOTthought it would be better to put these words in the Bill, so that all the world might know what was intended.
§ Question put.
§ The House divided:—Ayes 9; Noes 53: Majority 42.—(Div. List, No. 325.)